Covers
by ChibiKagura
Summary: And if everything Mai said about Takumi were true…she paused to listen to the boy’s gentle snores…then there would be no telling how things would unfold. Akira x Takumi. COMPLETE!
1. Secrets

Disclaimer: I don't own Mai-HiME, nor do I receive any profit from this fanwork.

A/N: Wow, I can't believe it's been almost a year since I uploaded Curtains. Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Mwah! I finally got around to writing a sequel! cheers This time, it is going to be a multi-chapter fic, although I plan on ending it in about three or four chapters. We'll see how things turn out, ne? Also, this one is a bit more romance-oriented than Curtains, but it continues with the same general themes. I warn you now; there is much fluff to come. Although it isn't necessary to read Curtains before this, I would recommend it since there are several direct references. I'll shut up now. Enjoy, and please review!

Covers

Akira should have been asleep. She, Mai, and Takumi spent the entire day cooking a western-style Christmas feast and the air in the small student apartment was thick with the sweet smells of their efforts. Takumi, who was still a bit weak from his surgery, was exhausted and went to bed early. His delicate snores filtered through the gaps in the curtains surrounding the ninja's bed. Normally, the soft noise would have lulled her right to sleep, but it was already past midnight and she was still awake.

Giving up on sleep for the time being, Akira slid out of bed taking care not to wake her precious roommate. Silently, she padded through the dark room to her dresser and opened her "secret" drawer, where she kept everything her male roommate was not supposed to see. The drawer was mostly pointless, since Takumi had an older sister who probably taught him at an early age more than he ever needed to know about females, but Akira kept it anyway. It was a comfort knowing that she still kept some secrets from her perceptive roommate. With this in mind, the ninja sifted through various bras and boxes of tampons until her hand brushed against the cardboard corner of her sketchbook. She smiled to herself. Having found what she wanted, she shut the drawer and tiptoed back to her area.

The curtains, fortunately, were tall and thick enough to prevent most of the light from Akira's bedside lamp from spreading through the room as she flipped through the pages in her sketchbook. She had drawn several more of Takumi since the time her curious roommate stumbled upon the book while cleaning and her skill had increased considerably. She even started including herself in the pictures, which was the main reason why she kept the book hidden. _If Takumi ever saw what they were doing in some of the drawings_… Akira's cheeks colored at the very thought! Even if she had spent the first thirteen years of her life pretending to be a boy, she was still a teenage girl with a teenage girl's fantasies. It didn't help that she spent practically every moment of her life with the object of these fantasies. She knew that Mai, wanting to help, had coaxed the director into allowing the two to stay as roommates, but the arrangement was becoming quite painful for the ninja.

With a sigh, she turned to one page in her sketchbook and paused. Taped to the page was the photo taken at the fall formal. It wasn't the best picture of the couple (her dress strap was sliding off her shoulder and Takumi had his eyes closed), but it was Akira's favorite. Although her gender became public immediately after the HiME incidents, she continued to wear the boys' uniform simply because it was more comfortable. The dance marked the first time anyone outside her close circle of friends saw her looking remotely feminine. A smile teased her lips as the events of the night unfolded in her memory. All night, she was accosted by astonished classmates telling her repeatedly how beautiful she looked. While she was embarrassed, the good-natured Takumi simply beamed and agreed enthusiastically with each admirer.

The dance was their first official date.

A faint click jolted the ninja out of her reverie. With her catlike grace and agility, she grabbed a hairbrush off her nightstand and hid in the shadows behind her curtain, waiting for the source of the noise to reveal itself. The door to the apartment opened, a narrow beam of light piercing through the darkness. Akira prepared to strike.

"You can relax, Akira-chan. It's me," a voice whispered. Akira dropped the hairbrush. She glanced around frantically, hoping the noise hadn't disturbed her roommate and then faced the intruder, who had poked her head through the curtains.

"M-Mai," she said, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Don't worry about it. He sleeps like a rock," she said giggling. Akira glared.

"What are you doing in here? It's not even light yet!"

"It's Christmas! I thought us girls should celebrate on our own a bit! I brought hot chocolate!" Mai beamed. She indicated the steaming thermos and mugs in her hand. "May I sit down?"

"Hmph. I suppose, as long as we don't wake Takumi up," the ninja replied. Mai chuckled.

"You're so cute, Akira-chan," she said, sitting on the bed. It was then Akira remembered her previous activities. A corner of her sketchbook was visible under the comforter. She jumped forward and tried to grab the book, but Mai saw it first. She already had it in her hands and was eyeing the cover with interest.

"What's this, you're sketchbook?" she said.

"N-no!"

"Can I see it?"

"NO!" Akira thought she heard a pause in between Takumi's snores. Akira glared again, cheeks reddening.

"Why not?" Mai asked innocently, opening the cover.

"Because!"

"I think Akira's drawing dirty pictures," she said flipping through the pages.

"_No I'm not_!"

"Well, as a concerned older sister, I should have the right to know if my little brother's girlfriend is drawing smut," Mai said matter-of-factly, "although I have to admit, he looks pretty hot in this one…"

"Shut up!" Akira whispered harshly. There was a definite falter in her roommate's snores this time. "Don't tell Takumi, whatever you do."

"Relax, I won't. The drawings really aren't _that_ bad, though. With your reaction, I was expecting hardcore porn. I've read manga worse than this," Mai replied, handing Akira a mug of hot chocolate.

The ninja looked at her bedcovers, her face practically on fire. Despite Mai's kind words, she felt dirty. "Sorry," she mumbled, offering a rare honest apology.

"Don't worry about it," Mai said, smiling. "Not having much luck with Takumi, huh?"

Akira twisted the comforter nervously and frowned into her mug.

"He may be sweet and innocent, but don't think the teenage boy hormones haven't hit him," Mai said, winking suggestively. Akira fisted the covers to keep herself from fainting at this information. The other girl took a swig from her mug and returned to the sketchbook. "I think you should give him one of your drawings for a Christmas present. Let me find one…"

Akira was too busy processing the information to care. She supposed the news shouldn't have been so surprising, but he was _Takumi_! The boy was easily girlier than her. Hell, sometimes she had to wonder if he wasn't just a girl with different plumbing! The mental image nearly killed her. And she had to admit that the news wasn't entirely disappointing. If he was also reacting to their proximity, then…

"I didn't know you kept this picture!" Mai exclaimed excitedly, bringing the ninja back to earth.

"Huh?"

"The one from the dance. Whatever happened to the dress you borrowed?"

"Oh, I gave it back to Takumi 'cause he said he wanted it back. It didn't really fit, anyway. Your boobs are too damn big." Akira said offhandedly. She absentmindedly sipped her chocolate; her brain wasn't quite working yet.

"I see," Mai said mischievously. The ninja caught the tone of her voice.

"What are you up to?" she snapped, dribbling the hot beverage down her front.

"You'll see soon enough. Here's the picture you should give him. Don't worry; it's clean. You really are an amazing artist," the redhead said, handing Akira the drawing. Holding it to the light, Akira saw herself curled up peacefully with Takumi, her head lying on his chest. She really liked this one, but, information notwithstanding, she had no idea what the boy would think.

"Whatever. Now get out before he wakes up!"

Even after the older girl left, Akira's brain was buzzing with all the information she received during their meeting. It was almost three in the morning, though, and she needed sleep. She set her empty mug on her nightstand and turned out the light, the room once again cloaked by shadows. Tomorrow would be an eventful day, especially if Mai had something up her sleeve. And if everything she said about Takumi was true…she paused to listen to the boy's gentle snores…then there would be no telling how things would unfold. She lifted the drawing to her lips. _But if anything were to happen,_ she thought nervously, _one of us would have to do something first... _She pulled the comforter over her head.

Before drifting off to sleep, she placed the drawing carefully beneath her pillow.


	2. Sweater

A/N: I'm baaaack! XD This chapter is a bit longer than usual to make up for the delay. Yay for violent fluff!! In case anyone cares or was wondering, the story is set during the school year after the anime ends, so Takumi and Akira are both around 14. Being a Prince of Tennis fan makes a girl numb to the whole age thing…XD;;; Okay, enough blabbing. Fangirls and fanboys, please enjoy the next installment of Covers. -dims the lights-

Disclaimer: Don't own. I just throw snowballs.

Covers (chapter 2)

"Akira-kun! Wakey, wakey!"

The ninja grunted weakly in response. _Too early, _she thought dazedly, pulling the covers over her head. It was a bad move.

"Dammit," she mumbled as she felt the mattress bounce under Takumi's weight. There was no way he was going to…_DAMMIT!_

A pillow smashed into the back of her head.

"Wake…up…it's…Christmas!" Takumi exclaimed happily, whacking his groggy roommate after every word. Akira curled into a fetal position to repel the boy's onslaught, but her actions only encouraged him. Finally, she could stand it no longer.

"TAKUMI, GET OFF OR I'LL KILL YOU!!" she screeched, almost throwing the poor boy onto the floor as she jolted upright. Several feathers fluttered into the air at the sudden movement.

"Somebody's energetic this morning," Takumi teased.

"Shut up," Akira muttered, rubbing her eyes. She was too sleepy to strangle her roommate, anyway. Wobbling considerably, the ninja stood, yawned, and stretched, the bottom hem of her long t-shirt rising to expose an additional inch and a half of her toned thighs. Takumi blushed scarlet and quickly looked at the bedspread. Out the corner of his eye, he noticed a small, slightly crumpled bit of paper sticking out from under the pillow. The boy tried not to let his curiosity get the better of him; he knew from experience that Akira hid personal items in the oddest of places. Whatever was on the paper was most likely something he was not supposed to see. He decided to ask.

"Ne, Akira-kun, what's that under your pillow?"

Akira, face lighting up like a Christmas tree, pounced. "N-nothing! Just ah…notes! Yeah, notes for m-my English class! I keep them under my pillow so that I can absorb the information while I sleep!"

Takumi fought the urge to burst out laughing at the sight of his disgruntled roommate sprawled across the bed, clutching the pillow and paper in a death grip and shooting daggers at him with her eyes. Akira was a horrible liar. Suspicions about the paper confirmed, he winked and gave the ninja a comforting smile. "I don't need to see it, anyway. I was just curious."

With a loud "humph," Akira stuffed the paper into the drawer on her nightstand. "Whatever. Get out, I need to change."

"Hurry up, Akira-kun! It snowed last night! It's really pretty! I want you to see it before it melts!" Takumi said excitedly, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.

"Whatever," Akira said tersely. She made sure the curtains were shut tightly before sliding out of her t-shirt. Shivering slightly as the winter air met her bare skin, she rummaged through the basket of freshly laundered clothes at the foot of her bed for something she could wear in the snow. Among the folds of plum and navy blue sweats, the ninja noticed a flash of pink. Frowning, she extracted a very girly striped sweater from the pile.

"Oi, Takumi! I think you mixed some of your sister's-" she started, but abruptly cut herself off. Underneath the sweater was a brand new white puffy coat. A small note, hastily scribbled on a scrap of notebook paper, was tucked into the coat's faux-fur-lined hood. Intrigued, Akira held the note to the light and read "To Akira. You don't have to wear them if you don't want to. Merry Christmas! Love, Mai. P.S. There are matching mittens in the pocket. "

"Is something the matter, Akira-kun?" Takumi called anxiously from the other side of the curtains.

Akira jumped. "No, I'm fine," she replied hurriedly, one hand instinctively covering her chest just in case her roommate chose to disregard her words. She had replaced the scratchy bindings with sports bras ages ago, but the microscopic decrease in skin coverage still made her extremely self-conscious. Without thinking, she pulled the sweater over her head.

"Well, hurry up and get dressed!" Takumi replied. Retreating footsteps told the ninja that her roommate was safely back in the kitchen. Sighing, the ninja threw on a nearby pair of black track pants and the new coat.

_It's the warmest thing I have_, she told herself as she shuffled to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

Five minutes later, Akira was ready to go outside. Takumi was still busy at the stove, so the ninja gazed out the window in the meantime. The sun had barely risen and the snow-covered grounds were covered in the ethereal golden glow that can only be seen in the early morning. In such light, everything seemed to sparkle. Except for one small trail leading to the faculty residences, the snow was untouched. Akira supposed that some teacher had risen early to capture this image for next year's school brochure.

"I told you it's pretty, Akira-kun," Takumi said softly from the other side of the room. Akira nodded.

"Y-y-yeah," she muttered, failing to stifle a huge, open-mouthed yawn.

Takumi giggled. "This might help," he said, handing Akira a steaming mug of what appeared to be vanilla-scented whipped cream. "It's a cappuccino," he added, noticing the inquisitive look on the ninja's face.

Akira took a tentative sip. As the warmth instantly flooded her body, she felt more alert. "You're making these every morning from now on," she said with a smirk.

"Aa, so the morning Akira-monster-kun can be tamed with caffeine. I must remember this," Takumi replied, his eyes twinkling. Akira stuck out her tongue and grabbed her roommate's arm.

"Baka, we're going outside," she snapped, dragging the boy towards the door. However, she was careful not to spill a drop of her precious beverage.

As the pair descended the icy staircase that led to the grounds, Takumi stopped short. Akira furrowed her brow. "You okay, Takumi?"

"What…are you wearing?" the boy asked incredulously. Akira looked down and suddenly remembered the present she received. Her face coloring, she quickly zipped the coat.

"Present," the ninja replied shortly. She began to march huffily down the sidewalk, clutching her coffee. Takumi jogged to catch up, his breath condensing in little clouds above his head.

"From who?"

Akira hugged the coat to her body. "Your sister. She must've left the stuff in my laundry basket last night or something. I dunno. I just threw them on this morning, I guess," she said, avoiding her roommate's eyes.

"I want to see!"

"But it's cold," Akira snapped, her cheeks aglow.

"You have coffee," Takumi persisted.

"But it's almost gone," the ninja countered, taking a large gulp from her cup.

"Just for two seconds!"

"Fine. Two seconds, and that's_ it_."

As the ninja partially unzipped her coat, Takumi felt his breath catch. Despite her protests, the sweater looked nothing short of amazing. The ice cream pink color brought out the green in her hair and highlighted the subtle rosy tones in her skin. The soft fabric, although not skintight, clung to certain aspects of her figure in a way the boxy school uniform did not. Takumi caught himself staring.

"That's enough," Akira said after a bit more than two seconds. She re-zipped the coat. Takumi quickly found his voice and mentally slapped himself on both cheeks.

"It looks…wow, Akira-kun," he stammered. The ninja's blush deepened.

"It's just a sweater," she said shortly, tipping the last drop of coffee into her mouth. Her words came out harsher than intended.

"It looks beautiful on you, though," Takumi replied honestly. Realizing what he said, he quickly added, "Because you're always wearing boys' clothes and stuff and now you're in pink and… It looks different, but in a good way!"

Akira smiled shyly and wiped her mouth. "The snow's going to melt. Let's go," she said reaching for her roommate's arm.

"Wait, Akira-kun," Takumi began, a grin spreading across his face. The ninja paused, feeling the boy's eyes scanning her again.

"What now?" she asked, slightly annoyed.

Without warning, Takumi collapsed onto the snowy lawn in a fit of uncontrollable laughter. "Akira-kun," he managed to choke out in between spasms, "you still have bed-head!"

"YOU ARE SO DEAD!!!" Akira shrieked, collecting a handful of snow and heaving it at Takumi's head. Fortunately, her ninja training had given her flawless aim; the snowball landed right on target and showered the boy with powdery crystals. However, before she could launch a second attack, Takumi rolled to the side. His poor health forgotten, the laughing boy began to dash across the school grounds with Akira, throwing snowballs and screaming obscenities, in close pursuit.

* * *

"Mou, they're going to wake up the entire school!"

"Just because you're not a morning person, Chie-chan! At least we know their room's empty!"

"Gomen, Aoi-chan."

"Ne, Mai-chan, could you please hurry? This thing is heavy."

"Be quiet, both of you!"

"Eep! Gomen, gomen, Mai-chan!"

The redhead slowly opened the door to her brother's room and tiptoed inside. After a quick glance around the area, she motioned for her two friends, who were carrying an enormous box, to follow. "Just set it down on Takumi's bed, I guess," Mai whispered.

The pair, eager to relieve themselves of the box's weight, readily complied. Aoi wiggled her cramped shoulders and curled up next to the box while Chie dazedly polished her glasses. Mai, the only one who appeared truly awake, paced before her two friends shouting orders like a commander before his troops. "Okay, girls, we have lots to do and approximately two hours until they return. You know the plan. I want to see this place perfect! Do you hear me?"

"Hai, hai," Chie replied as she toppled backwards onto Aoi, snoring loudly.


	3. Snowfall

Let the lengthy author's note begin:

I apologize again for the long wait for this chapter. I've had a mountain of schoolwork plus several concerts and auditions taking up the majority of my time, and then on top of that my laptop died. Please forgive me. I made this chapter long. ((bows))

Big thank yous to my awesome reviewers. Much love, much love.

This took me forever to write and it's only 2100 words. The drama definitely picks up here, though, this being the middle chapter and all. Be warned: there is slight angst among the cuteness in this chapter. XD;; Angst writing isn't my strong point, but I believe I pulled it off. I tried to counterbalance it with fluff and humor. XD; Please tell me what you think!

This chapter is inspired by the song Snow Smile by my favorite J-rock band, Bump of Chicken. If you can, download some of BoC's songs or at least look at some translated lyrics- they're amazing.

And finally: a link to my illustrations for chapter 1 can be found in my profile.

Okay, I'm probably boring y'all. On with the action: ((dims lights))

Chapter 3 

"You bastard, I am so going to KILL you!" Akira shrieked through clenched teeth, scooping a handful of snow as she ran. Without bothering to pack the snow into a ball, she lobbed it at her roommate. Giggling, Takumi ducked and hurled another snowball at his furious pursuer. Akira elegantly threw her body to the left, the snowball landing several feet to her right with a soft _pfft_. Out of breath, she scowled and crouched on the snowy ground like a cat ready to pounce.

"Your aim…really sucks," she panted, the air condensing in little puffs around her flushed cheeks.

"You're cute when you're angry," her roommate teased, collapsing next to the winded ninja. Her face darkened dangerously, so he continued, "Yep, you're definitely the school's number one hottie."

Unable to come up with a decent comeback, Akira punched Takumi's arm as hard as she could. However, he only smiled and raised his hand to block the ninja's second attack. "That hurt," he said simply.

Giving up, she flopped onto her back in the snow. "And how come _you're_ not tired, Sick Boy?"

"I didn't waste my energy throwing fifty million-" Takumi paused, struck by sudden inspiration as he eyed the girl sprawled on the ground. Changing tack, he asked, "Ne, Akira-kun, have you ever made a snow angel?"

Akira skeptically raised an eyebrow at her roommate. "A what?" she asked, sitting up.

"A snow angel!"

"No…"

"Ooh! Then I have to show you, Akira-kun!" With more enthusiasm than the ninja deemed necessary, Takumi threw himself onto the ground and began to wave his arms and legs wildly. Akira scooted to the side to avoid the boy's flailing limbs.

"You having a seizure or something?"

"Of course I'm not!" her roommate snorted, standing and pointing to the indentation in the snow. "See, it looks like an angel."

The ninja cocked her head to the side, thinking it looked more like a Takumi-shaped blob than an angel. But she had to smile. Takumi's innocent passion more than made up for his lack of artistic skill.

"Akira-kun, you make one too!"

Feeling silly, Akira rolled her eyes and began moving her arms and legs with mch more grace than her roommate. A few chunks of snow crept under her collar and nipped at the bare skin on her neck. Shivering, the ninja rose and joined her roommate. For a moment, neither said a word. Then, with a grin teasing her lips, Akira nudged Takumi in the ribs and grabbed a handful of green needles from a nearby pine tree. She arranged the needles next to the head of her snow angel and the pair stepped back to admire their artwork from a distance.

"Now it looks more like us," Akira said seriously, although she was fighting the urge to giggle like a little girl.

"Akira-kun…" Takumi whispered, practically glowing with admiration and amusement. Akira felt the color rise in her cheeks and looked away. Suddenly, something pulled sharply against her neck.

"GHYEE!" she squeaked, jumping a foot in the air and nearly breaking her roommate's nose with the top of her head. The boy recoiled, apologizing profusely.

"Gomen, Akira-kun, but you had snow in your collar and it looked cold."

Akira shook her head. Takumi was an idiot. He was a loveable idiot, but an idiot nonetheless. "Just warn me when you're about to strangle me, okay?" she sighed exasperatedly. "You have snow in your collar too, just so you know," she added, reaching forward to remove the icy crystals.

"Oh…thank you, Akira-kun," Takumi said, his eyes sparkling.

"Mmf, don't mention it," the ninja replied, dusting the slowly melting flakes off the taller boy's quilted jacket. Her mind was completely focused on her task, but her hands seemed to have a will of their own. It was not until she heard Takumi's startled yelp that she realized that one stray hand had brushed against his flushed cheek. Quickly, she jumped back and looked at the clear morning sky, vainly pretending that nothing had happened.

However, the damage had been done.

"Akira-kun?" the boy asked shyly. Akira bristled.

"IT WAS NOTHING!" she screeched, turning to avoid eye contact at all cost.

When she felt gloved fingers tangle with her own, she stopped dead. Automatically, she jerked her hand away. "WHAT THE HELL?!"

"Akira-kun," Takumi repeated, "Your hands are really cold."

"Ehh?" It took several seconds for her to absorb her roommate's words. He clearly was not upset, but why hadn't he just told her? Honestly, she did not understand the boy's crazy logic sometimes. "So why did you just grab my hand like that? I have mittens, you know. I just forgot to put them on," she snapped.

"You don't need them if I'm here," Takumi replied, his voice soft but steady. Akira felt her body go completely numb and when he took her hand in his, she could do nothing but stare stupidly. "If you let me-" he paused for an eternal moment, his eyes fixed with hers, before continuing, "If you let me, I can keep your hands warm for you, Akira-chan." Takumi's deep blue eyes twinkled mischievously as he said her name. Noticing the ninja's dazed expression, he added quickly, "and you might want to breathe because you're starting to turn blue."

Akira twitched, the blood swiftly returning to her face. "Baka, you didn't need to get all dramatic over a stupid thing like that," she scoffed.

"You're one to talk," Takumi said with a grin, earning himself a thwack on the forehead from the ninja's free hand. In response, he simply tightened his grip on the one he held captive. "Maybe this will keep your hand from running away again?" he asked innocently.

"Shut up and c'mon," Akira muttered, dragging her roommate behind her as she began to march across the snowy campus. Already midday, the grounds were practically deserted since most of the students had gone home for the holidays. She was grateful for the quiet though. After their conversation and the sweater, she halfway expected Mai or her camera-happy friend to pop up out of nowhere and ruin the moment, but so far all had gone well. The drawing remained undiscovered in her nightstand drawer and, in spite of the mild chaos and silly snow angels, Akira was thoroughly enjoying her morning alone with Takumi.

But she would never tell him that. The bitter wind that whipped the couple's cheeks as they walked together did the speaking for her anyway. Seeking warmth, the ninja scooted instinctively closer to her roommate and leaned her head against his shoulder.

Surprised, Takumi patted the shorter girl's green head. As cute as she was when angrily flinging snowballs, Akira's explosiveness was overshadowed by the innocent, peaceful expression on her face. For once, she was not berating herself internally over trivial matters and it showed; she seemed truly happy.

And only when she was with him, Takumi noticed, feeling a surge of pride, not to mention embarrassment, as he realized this. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to see that look on Akira's face all the time. He would do anything to make that a reality. It was a responsibility he was wholeheartedly willing to accept.

Lost in a combination of thoughts and eachother, neither noticed the shallow, snow-filled ditch until gravity decided to play its sadistic version of matchmaker. Takumi fell first, his weight dragging Akira down with him. As if in slow motion, Akira twisted in midair, her foot sinking a foot into the snow. Feeling the impact roommate's body on hers, she was only dimly aware of how the same snow that trapped her had also cushioned her fall.

"Dammit, I thought Mai had filled the holes she made when-" Akira muttered, but she stopped abruptly as Takumi's gentle blue eyes gazed down at her. Realizing their situation, both blushed simultaneously.

"Th-this is awkward," Takumi stammered, stating the obvious. He winced, bracing himself for the imminent onslaught of punches and insults.

* * *

"Finished!" the redhead exclaimed happily, snapping the curtains around the bed shut. "Chie-chan, is the food out?"

Chie nodded, dramatically indicating the steaming feast spread across the table. "Hai, hai sensei."

"Good. Decorations?"

"Check!" Aoi replied from her perch on a huge ladder. She poked the mistletoe that she had just hung in the doorway.

"Excellent! Now all we need are guests. Chie-chan, could you please text Takumi? I think he may have forgotten his part of the plan. Oh, and tell him that if he can't find it, it's in my room."

"Ne, Mai-sama, is this _legal_?"

The redhead nibbled her thumbnail and blatantly ignored the gossip queen. "And Mikoto…"

Translating Chie's question, Aoi asked, "Mai-chan, do you really think it's necessary for us to be this involved. I mean, the two are already inseparable, so why do we need to go all out to get them together? Didn't Takumi say that he didn't want you controlling his life?"

Giving her nail a final chew, Mai replied, "This was all his idea."

For some reason, the other girls doubted this, but they decided to let it slide. The overworked buttons on Chie's cell phone beeped as she hurriedly typed the text message.

* * *

Takumi opened his eyes. Ten painfully long seconds later, he was still waiting for the attack. Vaguely, he wondered if his body had just gone numb from the cold, but he rapidly chased the silly thought from his mind. Below, he saw his roommate gazing at him in a way similar to a deer caught in headlights. "Akira-kun, are you okay?" he asked, concerned.

The ninja blinked, her roommate's voice jerking her out of her trance. Although she was fully aware of the way his body covered hers and of the way his eyes peered down at her curiously, she found herself unable and unwilling to protest. Only one conclusion stood strong in her frazzled brain: She was definitely okay. No matter how much she had denied it before, this was what she had wanted all along. And now that the opportunity had literally thrown itself upon her, she would be foolish to resist any further.

At some point, she must have vocalized her current state because Takumi's expression changed to one of relief. "I'm glad, Akira-chan," he breathed. As if drawn magnetically towards her, his face began to inch closer.

Akira knew what was about to happen, having dreamt about it countless times before. She closed her eyes, trying desperately to suppress the "holy shit" reaction bubbling inside her. When his lips shyly brushed hers, she abandoned all thought to the moment.

Suddenly, Takumi pulled back, an expression of sheer horror on his flushed face. "Oh no, she's going to kill me!" he choked, scrambling to his feet.

"Takumi, what the…?" the ninja mumbled, utterly confused. Sitting up, she saw her roommate stumble as he began to dash towards the dormitory. "TAKU- WHAT THE _HELL_ WAS THAT FOR?!" she screeched, finding herself extremely and inexplicably angry.

"Sorry, Akira-kun! I have to go!" the retreating boy called over his shoulder. Through her blurring vision, Akira thought she saw him reach into his back pocket.

"What the hell? You bas-," Akira began, her voice breaking. "You _bastard_! I'm NOT going to kill you!" She grabbed a handful of snow and tossed it feebly in Takumi's general direction. Missing horribly, she groaned and threw herself into the small cavern where the two had fallen just minutes before.

Then she remembered that snow was cold and that lying in the snow equaled snow under her collar. And that was the last thing she needed on top of everything else that had happened. Wiping the few tears that trickled from her eyes, she stood and began to chase after her roommate. The bitter wind nipped her wet cheeks and made her bare hands sting, but she kept running.

Following the trail of footprints made by the pair earlier that morning, the ninja climbed the stairs to their room. However, halfway up, her exhaustion caught up with her and she simply collapsed, gasping for breath. She wanted to throw up. Swearing to herself, Akira pulled her knees closer and bowed her head. Her body shook violently with suppressed tears, as her mind was once again lost to a flurry of incoherent thoughts.

_Why had Takumi just taken off like that? The kiss wasn't that bad, was it? Hell, it hadn't been long enough to even be considered a kiss…and just when I was starting to believe that maybe he…Maybe he…would like the drawing after all. Screw it. Screw Mai and her harebrained logic_.

"Mai, you are on fucking CRACK!" the ninja snarled to her feet. A voice from the top of the staircase made her jump.

"What's crack? Edible?"

**Next chapter**: The plan unfolds in its entirety, but who exactly is the mastermind behind the crazy matchmaking operation?


	4. Undercover

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Mai-HiME characters. Mai does. Royally.

I'm back from the dead…again! This chapter is more like two chapters fused into one (it's over 3000 words long!) I apologize again and again for the wait. Christmas fics can still be read in May, right? I hope so. I've been so busy that I haven't had time to continue this fic until now. That, plus the fact that I've been distracted by other fan-projects. Oy. I promise, and y'all can beat me up if I'm wrong, to have the last chapter up by next Monday. ((bows))

That being said, I really like the way this chapter turned out. I introduced two more characters, as well as two very minor, implied couples. There is angst, fluff, and crack. There should be something in here for (almost) everyone. I'm still avoiding ShizNat, although the couple has grown on me a bit recently. Le gasp. XP

I don't know if any of y'all follow Prince of Tennis at all, but my characterization of Mai vaguely resembles my Fuji. I'm scared…

I talk too much.

**Undercover**

_"What's crack? Edible?"_

Akira's runaway train of thought came to a crashing halt. She looked up and saw her prepubescent sempai waving eagerly at her from the top of the staircase. Blessing the fact that she wore no makeup, she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. Company was the last thing she wanted at the moment, but Mikoto was close to Mai, which automatically made her close to Takumi. Maybe she knew where the hell the idiot was.

Wearily, Akira raised her hand in acknowledgement. Realizing that she had captured the ninja's attention, Mikoto slid down the banister to join her. "Where's Takumi?" she asked, scanning the empty grounds for the boy. "I thought he was with you."

Akira narrowed her eyes, the wound still painfully fresh. "The bastard ran off. Why do you care?"

"Mai said she wanted to talk to him. Wait a minute…I bet that's where he is! He's with Mai! Problem solved!" Mikoto reasoned out loud. Quite proud of her brilliance, she threw her arms around Akira's neck as if expecting a treat. However, the ninja was not amused.

"GET OFF ME!" she roared, rising abruptly and throwing the poor girl to the ground. Sempai or not, the overly-cheerful brat had the mentality and social grace of a four-year-old. She made even Takumi look like a genius.

_Takumi…_

"DAMMIT!" The powerful emotions Akira had pinned inside her burst forth at once. She wanted to kill someone…anyone. She punched the ground next to where Mikoto sat, perplexed. Salty tears cascaded down her face and splashed onto the frozen pavement, melting little holes in the ice where they fell. "Dammit, let him stay with that conniving little bitch for all I care! They're PERFECT together, dammit! Damn…him…"

"I thought you liked Takumi," Mikoto interrupted. Akira choked on her tears. Coughing, she collapsed onto the step next to the other girl, her face hidden between her knees. Another intense tremor struck her body as it purged itself of the hidden evils that had possessed it. After a moment, she slowly raised her head.

"I do. A lot," she confessed hoarsely. Her cheeks were blotchy and her hair, although messy from the start, stuck to her tearstained face in wet strands. She knew she looked like a wreck, but she was too exhausted to care. Her entire face was numb from the cold.

"Akira smiles when she is with Takumi because she likes him. Right now, Akira is sad because Takumi is with Mai. Takumi likes Mai, so he wants to be with her. I like Mai, but she also likes Takumi and Tate. I get sad sometimes, but I'm happy because Mai is with people who make her smile."

Akira scoffed at her sempai's naïve logic. "It's not that. He left me to be with her and didn't even bother to tell me why. He just stood up and left after…" Without thinking, she brought one mitten to her lips. "You wouldn't understand."

Mikoto pouted. "That's what Mai always says to me."

"It's true, though," the ninja sighed.

"Why aren't you going after him?"

Akira froze for a minute, and then replied, "I tried, but…I don't know, something held me back. Things went by so fast, and then I just kind of…died. I don't know. I think too much."

"But you like him." Mikoto fidgeted with a small handful of snow as she spoke.

"Yeah. I do. But sometimes I think he likes Mai more than me, or something. It's stupid, I know," Akira muttered to her feet, refusing to look the childish girl in the eye. Resistance was useless; the girl's words were striking a chord either through dumb luck or some primitive form of intuition. There was no way she understood what was going on, yet at the same time, she seemed to understand much more than Akira did. Talking to Mikoto was quite a humbling experience; in a bizarre way, it was almost like talking to Takumi.

The older girl continued molding the snow between her bare hands. "Takumi smiles the most when he's with you. I've seen it. He likes you best! Yup!"

Sudden warmth flooded the ninja's body at these words. Feeling her energy return, she wiped the hair from her face and stood. "Aw crap, my ass is soaked," she moaned.

Mikoto giggled and held up her snow creation. "I made you a snow man!"

It looked more like a lump of dirty slush, but a faint smile teased Akira's lips nonetheless. "You're retarded."

Either Mikoto didn't understand the ninja's remark, or she chose to ignore it. Her attention had drifted to other matters. "Oh wait! Mai said something…um…oh! You can't go back yet! Mai said…I don't remember. The door's locked, though. You can't go in. Takumi has the keys."

Akira snapped. "Wait, what the hell do you mean?"

"Oh! I remember now! It's a secret! Yay!"

"Tell me!" the ninja growled, but the brat simply smiled and darted up the staircase. She followed, but Mikoto was quickly out of sight. "That girl-" she muttered bitterly. _Still,_ she thought as she entered the boys' dormitory, _talking that girl wasn't completely useless_. The solution, when expressed in Mikoto's two-plus-two logic, was glaringly obvious.

…And apparently, she hadn't been kidding about the locked door. Akira tried to twist the knob to enter her room, but the bolt would not budge. Growing frustrated, she pounded the door with her fist. "TAKUMI, LET ME IN!" She thought she heard shuffling from within, so she halted her tirade. There was no answer. "TA-KU-MI!" She pounded the door again. She definitely heard a girl giggle that time. Fine. If they were playing that game, then it was her turn. She was a ninja. She would just go in through the window.

There was a huge tree right outside their room, which the ninja had used on many occasions; it was very convenient for espionage missions. From her perch, she could see inside her room easily (someone, most likely Takumi, had defrosted the window). The first thing she noticed nearly made her fall off her tree branch. The room had been draped with fabric, which she instantly recognized as the curtains that normally surrounded her bed. The curtains were obviously hiding something, but she had no idea what. Suddenly, Mai appeared from behind the drapes. She had her back turned and was speaking with someone in the doorway. Akira squinted and leaned forward, taking care to stay out of sight. She felt quite naked crouching on a dead tree branch, even in her white coat, but the crisscrossing limbs and piles of snow provided enough cover for such a simple task. If she had to, she could just make herself invisible. Meanwhile, she was curious about what Mai had done with her curtains to her room. The branches were already straining under the weight of snow and ice, so she couldn't risk venturing onto the narrower branches. Still, she wanted to know who Mai was talking to, so she inched closer. As if on cue, Mai turned towards her slightly, revealing none other than Takumi. Akira's heart stopped. Blue eyes were fixed right on her. She just as well could have smiled and waved, but she froze like a deer in headlights. However, the random ninja outside his room seemed to be the least of his concerns. Inside the room, Akira saw Mai give Takumi a hug before closing the door behind him. As Mai began to turn around, her camera-happy friend with the glasses appeared out of nowhere and closed the curtains. For now, her identity was safe. She breathed a sigh of relief, made a sign with her fingers, and appeared instantly at the bottom of the tree.

"You can come in now, Akira-kun."

"GYAAH!" The sudden voice behind her made the ninja jump like a spooked cat. "YOU! WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?"

Takumi chuckled at his roommate's reaction. "Inside. Sorry I ran off like that, but I remembered Mai needed me for something important."

"What could be more important than-?" Akira began, but Takumi finished her sentence for her.

"You?"

The ninja winced. "Maybe…yeah."

Smiling, the boy replied, "You'll see."

"What are you…? Mikoto and your sister, too. C'mon, Takumi, tell me what's going on."

"You'll see," he repeated, "Now come in. The room's ready and you look cold." He reached for Akira's hand, but she jerked it away.

"Dumbass. I was freaking out because you ran off. I thought it was because of…"

"Oh," Takumi said, catching on, "No, not because of…that." His cheeks flushed deeply.

"And then you ran off to Onee-chan with your tail between your legs, Mr. Sister Complex," Akira added. She was not finished needling him just yet.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry I made you worry. It won't happen again, I promise. But you'll see why I did this in a few minutes. Let's go in."

"Bastard," the ninja snapped, trapping the boy in a headlock. She let him struggle for a few seconds then released him. "We're going in."

"You're jealous of Onee-chan, aren't you," Takumi giggled as they walked up the staircase into the dormitory. Massaging his throat, he cast a sly look at the girl beside him.

"WHO SAID I WAS?" Akira flared.

"I did, although anyone could tell just by the way you're acting. It's kind of cute."

"Shuddup."

Changing tack, Takumi added quietly, "Akira-kun, your eyes are still red."

When the ninja paused to process his words, he took the opportunity to slide his hand in hers.

* * *

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

On normal days, Akira certainly did not expect to be showered in red and green silly string the second she opened the door. For a minute, she thought Takumi had dragged her into the wrong room by mistake. The assumption was quite plausible, considering the boy's past clumsiness. But he assured her several times that this was, in fact, their room.

The curtains that she saw through the window had returned to their proper location around her bed, revealing an enormous Christmas tree and an equally huge pile of brilliantly wrapped presents. Akira stared openmouthed as she took in what she saw. The dinner they had cooked the night before sat warming in the oven and the delicious smells of cinnamon and roast beef perfumed the air. In middle of the cluttered apartment, brandishing cans of silly string, stood Mai, her two friends, Tate, and a very tortured-looking Mikoto. Lost for words, the ninja began to put things together. She elbowed her roommate in the ribs.

"Yep, this is what everyone was up to," Takumi replied, accurately interpreting the friendly gesture.

"You too, then?" Akira asked. Her eyes narrowed.

"I knew about this, yeah."

The ninja folded her arms and muttered something that resembled "forgiven."

Suddenly, the room burst into applause. Akira jumped. She was not used to entertaining groups of people and had no idea where to begin. However, Mai apparently had the entire evening precisely planned.

"Akira, Takumi, look up please," she said, smirking evilly.

Two pairs of eyes widened and two faces reddened simultaneously. There was no mistaking that red and green bundle of leaves dangling innocently in the doorway.

"Onee-chan," Takumi squeaked.

Tate, who had migrated to the couch and was attempting to hold Mikoto down, caught his fellow man's eye and mouthed hurriedly, "This was all Mai's idea!"

"You know the rules," Mai cackled. Aoi grabbed Chie's arm, her eyes sparkling from the excitement of having her fantasies about Akira and Takumi come true. With her free hand, Chie held her cell phone at the ready.

Their giggling was making Akira antsy. "Will you two shut up?" she snapped. Instantly, the room fell silent. Even Mikoto stopped struggling to watch the impending scene. Gathering her courage, Akira looked her roommate in the eye.

"Er…" Takumi met her gaze shyly. Akira's blush deepened. She tried willing the butterflies in her stomach to disappear, but to no avail.

"Second chance," she whispered, her smile quivering. She felt the stares of everyone in the room pushing her towards the boy in front of her. There was no way she would let him run away again. She took a quick breath, rose onto her tiptoes, and leaned closer…

"Gyah-" The ninja's yelp was stifled by Takumi's lips pressing violently against hers. His abrupt movement nearly knocked her over, but somehow, the notorious klutz managed to catch her and pull her closer. Her eyes fluttered closed. "_Dumbass,"_ she muttered against his lips.

Through the fog in his brain, Takumi heard a male voice comment on his "smooth moves," but he didn't care. He must have done _something_ right because Akira was in his arms, kissing him back with the intensity that she usually channeled into her punches. At that moment, she was the only person in the room that really mattered.

When she suddenly pulled away, Takumi crashed back to earth. He blinked, the lights and colors of their dorm room swirling dizzily around him. Akira grabbed his collar and discreetly indicated the crowd of people in their room. Takumi shrugged and kissed her again.

"Are you done yet?" Tate asked, his voice growing irritated. Apparently, Mikoto had gotten bored with their show and was trying to steal pieces of roast beef from the oven.

"Awww, just when it was getting good," Chie moaned, taking one last photo before snapping her phone shut. Squealing, Aoi tackled the other girl and grabbed her phone to browse through the pictures.

"Oooh, this one is _so_ going on Facebook!" Aoi exclaimed gleefully, holding up the phone to show everyone. There was a general murmur of approval.

The two simply stood there in the doorway, watching the scene unfold before them. Takumi looked down and Akira looked up simultaneously. After a brief pause, while each surveyed the other, both began to smile shyly. The smiles evolved into shy giggles, which quickly became fits of uncontrollable laughter.

"It's…in your ears! And your hair!" Akira gasped, clutching her stomach.

"Your coat…the hood…it's ruined!" Takumi snorted, wiping a tear from his eye.

"You look like hell!" she exclaimed. She pulled a clump of Silly String out of her roommate's hair.

"You're beautiful," he countered. He untangled another handful from his hair and placed the dried, pink wad on the ninja's head. "Pink is your color!"

"Eat string!" Akira growled, taking the clump and stuffing it into the boy's mouth.

"As cute as your flirting is, you two can stop any time now! It's time to open presents! Akira-chan, could you help me carry the presents over?" Mai called, interrupting the silly string fight. Catching the ninja's eye, the redhead winked. Akira took the hint and joined her by the Christmas tree. Making sure Takumi was well out of earshot, Mai asked, "Have you given it any more thought?"

Akira nodded, her heart skipping a beat.

"And the verdict?"

"I'll do it," Akira whispered. Peering over her shoulder, she saw that Takumi was extracting Silly String from the carpet. "He's so tidy," she thought out loud.

Mai nodded, smiling. "I'm proud of you, Akira-chan."

"Eh? Why?"

"You put your heart into the drawing, correct?"

"I guess so…"

"By giving him this, then you'll be giving him a piece of your heart as well, correct? It's not easy to give away something so personal. But, as you can see, Takumi is a clean boy," Mai explained, chuckling slightly before continuing, "I know, and _you_ know, that he will treasure this gift. If he notices even one stray fingerprint, he will be right there with cleaning fluid and a paper towel. And his pink apron, of course." Without further ado, she placed a large shopping bag in Akira's hands.

The ninja opened the bag and gasped as she removed the contents. "You've been digging through my stuff, haven't you," she said suspiciously.

"Guilty!" Mai said, throwing up her hands in mock surrender, "But it was worth it, don't you think?"

"I suppose," Akira replied, turning the black picture frame over in her hands. Her heart, enclosed between twin sheets of glass, would be on display, uncovered, for the whole world to see. She thought about Takumi's clumsiness and how easy it would be for him to knock the frame off a shelf. The glass would certainly break if he was not careful. But she also knew that he could, on rare occasions, show moments of grace, especially around her. Mai was right. He was a clean guy, and even though he was not much of an artist himself, he knew how to appreciate art. And if art is kept only to the artist, its true beauty would never be known. Akira needed no more convincing. She slid the frame into the bag, placed the bag under the tree, and stood. Mai leaned over and gave the shorter girl a quick hug.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Aoi's shrill scream shattered the silence.

Mai and Akira turned on their heels and rushed over immediately to where everyone else was clustered on the floor.

"She just…fell! Like boom!"

"Onee-chan!"

"Oi, Mai, I think we killed her!" Tate replied unconcernedly, fanning the collapsed girl's face.

"Chie-chan, put that stupid phone away. Aoi-chan, shut up. Tate, I love you, but get out of my way! Ugh, you people don't know anything, do you?" Mai snapped, going into full blown Onee-chan mode. She knelt to examine the body on the floor. After several seconds of counting heartbeats and listening to breathing, she made her diagnosis. "Everyone, relax. She's fine. It just looks like we're going to have to eat before we open presents. Takumi, start getting the food out. Anyone have any complaints?" She looked around the room, her eyes lingering momentarily on her boyfriend, but not even he could wrap his tongue around a protest. Nobody in their right mind challenged Mai when she was in this state for fear of instant death. "Good," she said, a pleasant smile returning to her face. She walked into the kitchen, with the others staring blankly after her as if a bomb had just gone off in their faces.

From the floor, Mikoto's stomach gurgled loudly in agreement.


	5. Exposed

Disclaimer: Don't own Takumi or Akira. I like to pretend I do, though.

A/N: And so ends my rather ambitious project. I'm going to let the story do most of the talking this time. Please read and leave a review if you want. I would like to know y'alls thoughts about this last chapter and about the story overall. Gracias

**Exposed**

"Damn, that was good, Mai. I can't move," Tate groaned wearily.

"Mai's food always tastes the best!" Mikoto exclaimed, helping herself to her third dessert.

"Well, I had help," Mai replied humbly, casting meaningful glances at Akira and Takumi.

"You're too modest, Onee-chan! You did most of the work."

"But I couldn't have done it without you two!"

"Mai-chan, you promised presents," Chie said, smirking. She pulled her phone out of her pocket. "This should be good, ne?"

"Right. Presents. Mikoto, you can eat that by the tree if you don't spill. Actually, Yuichi, could you make sure she eats over this towel?"

Grumbling incoherently, Tate spread the towel by the tree. The rest of the group migrated towards the pile of presents. Takumi and Akira settled on the floor closest to the tree. Out the corner of her eye, Akira noticed the bag containing the drawing. Quickly, before anyone else noticed, she pushed the bag to the back of the tree, where the needles would keep it hidden from sight.

"Akira-chan, would you like to go first?"

The ninja froze like a child with her hand caught in the cookie jar. "Um, sure," she replied, picking up a medium-sized box with her name on it.

"Oh, that's from Natsuki. She didn't want to come to the party, but she thought you could use this," Mai said with a grin, leaning forward in her desk chair.

"Wha- OH!" Aoi exclaimed, taking a moment to recognize the redhead's smirk. She raised her hand to her mouth to discreetly mask her giggles. On the floor next to her, Chie held her camera at the ready. The two men and Mikoto, oblivious to the cackling, intently watched Akira tear off the paper. As soon as she broke the tape sealing the box and noticed its contents, her face turned scarlet.

"What is it, Akira-kun?" Takumi asked curiously, leaning over to look. The ninja grabbed the box and stuffed it back into the wrapping paper.

"Nothing," she snapped, glaring daggers at the innocent boy.

"Yeah, what is it? Let us see!" Tate prodded.

"IT'S NOTHING!" Akira shrieked, very embarrassed.

"Is it edible?" Mikoto asked, sucking mindlessly on a candy cane.

"It's a girl thing," Mai mouthed to the two clueless males.

"OH!" Tate replied, his face color matching the ninja's. "This is a little awkward, isn't it?" he asked Takumi.

"A little," the younger boy replied weakly, his eyes not leaving the floor.

"Akira-chan, you don't have to hold it up if you don't want to, but could you at least tell us what color it is, please?" Mai asked politely, attempting to relieve some of the tension that had taken over the festive atmosphere.

"Black. Strapless," the ninja whispered tersely, wishing the world would disappear around her. Chie's phone clicked and she showed the photo to the girl next to her. Both giggled for a few seconds, and then there was silence. Beside Akira, Takumi let out a squeak similar to that of a panicked hamster.

"Okay, that's all I need to know. When you try it on later, let me know if it fits, alright?"

"O-Onee-chan!" Takumi gasped. Akira nodded once, refusing to make eye contact with her flustered roommate.

"What did Akira-kun get?" Mikoto asked, confused. Everyone ignored her question.

"Mai, I think it's time to drop-" Tate began, clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation. Akira glowered at the redhead in a way that promised much pain unto those who dared to defy her.

"Aw, but we're having so much fun!" Chie whined, snapping one last picture before closing her phone. Leaning in, she whispered to Aoi, "Check Facebook tonight." Hearing these words, the brunette could barely contain her squeals.

"You're killing Takumi!" Akira snarled, elbowing the red-faced boy in the ribs and effectively jerking him out of his daze. She had had enough. Her confused roommate blinked. The second his eyes fell on the ninja, he squeaked and looked away.

"OH! I know what's inside that box! A BRA!" Mikoto exclaimed excitedly. Takumi fell over backwards.

"He's too damn young to act like Takeda!" Tate moaned, his mouth twitching upward slightly.

"Someone get him a tissue! I think he might have a, y'know…"

"Snap out of it, you dumbass!" Akira hissed, poking the downed boy.

With a muted yelp, Takumi sat up, wiped his face on his sleeve, and picked up the small box closest to him. "Um, it's for you, Onee-chan. From Tate, I think."

There was a chorus of "ooooohs" from Mai's two friends. Mai, paying no attention to the peanut gallery, calmly took the box from her brother's hand, although her cheeks tinged slightly. Tate, on the other hand, reacted loudly.

"Shut up! I SAID SHUT UP! AND PUT THAT PHONE AWAY!"

"Awww, isn't that cute?" Akira sneered, grinning sadistically from ear to ear. It was payback for the humiliation she and Takumi received just moments before. Next to her, her amused roommate bit his lip.

"Shut up!" Tate turned to Mai, then, his tone of voice making a polar switch, he urged, "Go on; open it."

With everyone watching closely, she removed the paper, revealing a tiny velvet box. She gasped audibly then exploded, "YU-YUICHI! WHY THE HECK DID YOU-?"

He shrugged. "Because I could," he answered simply, "And relax. You don't even know what I got you yet."

The peanut gallery began tittering excitedly. "Open it! Open it, Mai-chan!"

Taking a shaky breath, the redhead slowly flipped the velvet lid, revealing a gold phoenix pendant. Two rubies formed the firebird's eyes and the pendant dangled from a matching gold chain. The necklace glinted brilliantly in the light. "Yuichi," she whispered, stunned.

"Wow, shiny!" Mikoto cried, her eyes following the reflections on the ceiling.

"KYAAAAAH! PUT IT ON! PUT IT ON!"

"Onee-chan, please put it on. We want to see it on you, right Akira-kun?"

Mai, however, was momentarily paralyzed, so Tate took the necklace and clasped it delicately around her neck for her. "It reminded me of that fire-breathing bird monster of yours."

"Kagutsuchi," Mai sighed, remembering her Child. Her hand drifted to the pendant on her chest. Then, without warning, she leapt out of her chair and threw her arms around her boyfriend's neck.

"Um, you're welcome?" Tate said, taken aback, as he caught the redheaded projectile. He awkwardly planted a kiss on top of her head, which only added fuel to her fire. The poor boy found himself smothered with more affection than he had anticipated. "Hey, whoa, you're heavy! Okay, that's enough! Get _off_ me, Mai! Takumi, restrain your Onee-chan! Rape! Rape! Someone help me! Okuzaki! Mikoto! Senou! HARADA, I TOLD YOU TO PUT THAT DAMN PHONE AWAY!"

Takumi only laughed at the situation unfolding before him. "There's no stopping Onee-chan when she gets like this," he said with a grin.

"And you would know this how?" Akira asked, unable to resist the urge to needle the boy.

"Saa," Takumi replied mysteriously. His eyes twinkled. Changing the subject, he added, "They're cute together, aren't they, Akira-kun?"

"Huh? Yeah, I guess so," the ninja answered, scratching her head. She had never been one to watch other couples before. However, at his words, she noticed that there was a dynamic between Mai and Tate that was quite, as Takumi put it, "cute."

"His present was perfect," Takumi said with a chuckle, "although I think she would have reacted the same way for anything. She really loves Tate."

"Yeah," Akira muttered, distracted. Briefly, she thought Takumi knew about the drawing, as he had just rephrased everything Mai had told her earlier. However, her suspicions were only products of her overactive imagination. The drawing was still hidden in the pile. True, she had decided to give Takumi the drawing— it was the perfect chance for her to show him exactly how she felt— but there were too many people around. She wanted to wait until the perfect moment. It was like combat; she had to wait for an opening before she could strike. And when the chance arrived, she would strike with everything she had. As the scene calmed down somewhat, she wondered if Takumi had something for her also. Not that it mattered, though. Christmas had never really mattered to her before; it was just another thing from which her father sheltered her. This year was different, however. She had new clothes. She had Mai and Natsuki and everyone. And she had Takumi. All she wanted this Christmas was for Takumi to accept what she had to offer. But not yet…

"Akira-kun? Are you okay?" The boy's concerned voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Yeah, of course I'm okay."

"Good, because we still have more presents to open!"

* * *

Half an hour later, the room was strewn with the remnants of wrapping paper and boxes and everyone was enjoying their presents. Mai belted out Kimeru with her new karaoke machine, while Chie recorded the performance on her new digital camera. Aoi happily pawed through her new collection of yaoi smut doujinshi, while a repulsed Tate tried to challenge Mikoto to a duel with his new kendo equipment to keep her from reading over the brunette's shoulder. Surprisingly, the kitten-like girl was too preoccupied with her new cookbook to accept. Takumi, too, was happily modeling his new royal blue apron for Akira, who approved of the manlier color. Only two presents remained under the tree.

"Oh yeah, there's one more for Akira-kun," Chie remembered, lowering her camera. Aoi looked up from her doujinshi and nodded vigorously in agreement. Everyone else in the room stopped what they were doing and returned to their stations around the tree to watch. Akira picked up the box, hoping it was from Takumi. However, the tag read "With much love, Aoi-chan and Chie-chan." Her stomach fell, but the disappointment was rivaled by trepidation over what a present from those two would contain.

"It's not going to blow up, Akira-kun," Aoi said jokingly.

Still, the ninja took her time tearing off the paper. When she opened the box, she was half-expecting something to leap out at her and then take a picture of her surprised face. However, inside the box, she found a smaller shoebox sitting inside a sea of Styrofoam peanuts. Curious, she removed the lid, knocking a few peanuts onto the floor around her. What she found made her recoil instantly. "I am NOT wearing those things!"

"Aw, but they're so cute!" Chie replied in mock offense.

"They look like stripper shoes!" Akira snarled.

"I think they're pretty, Akira-kun."

"Then why don't you wear them, Takumi?"

"Because they'll look good with yo- I mean on you! They'll look good on you, Akira-kun."

"Akira, just try them on," Mai said kindly. "If you don't like them after a few days, then give them back to me and I'll return them to the store for you."

"Fine," the ninja snapped, sliding her feet into the black, strappy high-heeled sandals. They seemed to fit, so she stood up cautiously, holding on to Takumi's shoulder for support.

"Well? How does it feel?" Mai asked.

"Wobbly."

"Do they hurt at all?"

"Not really, but I don't think I can walk in these. Why the hell do girls wear these stupid things anyway? I can't do anything."

"Because they're elegant," Takumi replied, smiling.

"Right, and falling on my ass is elegant," Akira grumbled, unbuckling the shoes and tossing them back into their box.

"Akira, if you keep the shoes, the girls and I can give you walking lessons," Mai said. "I think you may find that you want to keep them, right Takumi?"

Takumi nodded. Frowning, Akira looked from one Tokiha to the other. "Now what's wrong with you two?"

Mai ignored the ninja's question. Clapping her hands, she looked at her watch and said in an authoritative voice, "It's getting late, and I think Takumi and Akira want their room back. We'll clean up tomorrow, if you don't mind."

Akira and Takumi shook their heads no.

"Mai, there's still one present left," Tate said, indicating the bag under the tree.

"I know," the redhead replied, catching Akira's eye and winking. The ninja gulped. She knew Mai was helping to ease the tension, but she was still nervous. This was it: her chance.

"But…"

"No 'buts,' Yuichi, now come on," she said definitely, pushing the whipped boy out the door. Aoi and Chie followed, dragging a sleepy Mikoto behind them on a towel. Before she shut the door, Mai poked her head in. "Merry Christmas, you two! Goodnight!"

Akira mouthed a quick "thank you" but the redhead had already disappeared into the hallway, leaving the two roommates alone.

"Well, that was a fun party, wasn't it Akira-kun?" Takumi asked cheerfully.

"Yeah, it was," Akira answered. "Thanks for, y'know, helping with that, I guess."

"You sound upset. You've been weird all night, actually. What's up? Was the party that bad? Please be honest."

"Oh, no, it was fine. A little embarrassing, but I'm glad I got to celebrate Christmas with everyone. I've never really… It's not that important, really, but my father considered parties and gifts too extravagant for someone with, y'know, _my_ lifestyle and-"

"And you've never gotten a Christmas present? Oh, that's terrible, Akira-kun!"

"No, I have, just not many. And not with all the… emotions and stuff involved. I don't really need the presents, but… they're nice, even those crazy shoes and that _sexy black satin strapless_ bra." Akira dragged the last words just to make her roommate uncomfortable. Even if he acted like a wimpy little girl, he was still a teenage boy with teenage boy hormones. She waited for the effect of her words to subside, then she continued, her voice shaking, "And, this is going to sound weird, but I've never really given anyone anything before, but I…this year because of you…" The rest of her words were lost in the branches as she crawled underneath the tree to retrieve the last present.

"Akira-kun, what are you talking about? You don't have to-"

"No, I do. I need to give you this. No, I want you to have this. Ah, just take the stupid thing," Akira said, her face lit like a Christmas tree. Before he had a chance to protest, she shoved the frame into Takumi's hands.

"Akira…" Takumi whispered, his eyes widening as he realized what lay between the two sheets of clear glass. "So _this_ is what you were hiding under your pillow this morning. It's…"

"Disturbing?"

"Beautiful," Takumi breathed, walking over to his bed. "I…wow…I'm going to keep this here." Carefully, he placed the drawing in the center of his nightstand, moving a photo of him and Mai as children to the side. "When I wake up every morning, it'll be the first thing I see."

Akira flopped onto his bed and admired her drawing. It looked miles better in its new location than it did crumpled up in her drawer and under her pillow. Takumi sat on the bed beside her, his weight denting the mattress enough to make the ninja roll slightly towards him. He stroked her head gently and she looked up. "I had no idea that you were such a talented artist," he said, smiling. "If you don't mind, I'd love to see the rest of your drawings sometime. I hope I'm not getting too personal."

The ninja tensed. "It's not that, but I dunno…"

"Come on, it's not like you're drawing porn, right? Or _are_ you, Akira-chan? If my girlfriend is drawing smut, then I want to see!"

"I AM NOT!" she snapped. Then with a sigh, she added, "Okay fine, I'll show you. Hold on, let me get my sketchbook."

The springs squeaked as she jumped off Takumi's bed. She crossed the room, gingerly stepping over piles of paper, Silly String, and opened presents, until she reached her area. When she peeled back the curtains, she let out a scream that echoed throughout the dormitory.

"Did you find it, Akira?"

"If this is what you mean by 'it' then, yes, I did," the ninja said weakly, pulling the curtains aside to expose the pink and black dress suspended from the curtain rods. "This is…"

"Yep. It's the one."

"I thought you gave it back to Mai after…"

"I did, but then I took it back, shortened the straps, and tucked in some of the bodice. It should fit you now, so there won't be any, um, issues."

"You can sew?"

"Yep. Well, Onee-chan had to teach me. We were busy while you were freaking out earlier."

"So that's why…I thought you were planning the party and everything."

"Well, that too…"

"So this whole thing was your idea, then?"

"Maybe."

"You bastard, you weren't supposed to do this!"

"No, but I wanted to do something special for you, and everyone else was more than willing to help."

"Takumi…" Akira whispered, fighting back tears of happiness. She had no idea how to respond. Once again, Takumi had caught her off guard, but she did not mind.

"Akira, relax. It's okay. I love you," he said softly, holding her close. It happened like that. The unpremeditated words simply flowed from his mouth and blended into the room's atmosphere. Akira's face was pressed into his shoulder, which muffled her reply, but Takumi seemed to understand the vibrations through his shirt. "I know," he replied.

The two stood in between the parted curtains for an irrelevant amount of time until Akira remembered her real reason for going back to her area in the first place. She uncovered her sketchbook and yanked Takumi onto the bed next to her. Instead of falling straight down, the clumsy boy managed to catch his foot in a loose end of her comforter and landed with his face planted square in her lap. He yelped and jumped back, but not before Akira had fallen over backwards in a fit of the giggles. "You…are such a dork…Takumi," she choked in between spasms. The boy looked away, his face crimson.

"Um, sorry about that, Akira," he stammered. The ninja thwacked him on the back of his head then smiled.

"Control yourself. I haven't even opened my sketchbook yet."

"Oh right! I want to see, Akira!"

For the next hour, the two flipped through the secret book. At every little doodle and finished drawing, Takumi would offer amused commentary. His enthusiasm was genuine, and Akira went into great detail explaining everything: the significance of each work, the materials she used, and the methods she used to complete the sketch. Even the most personal sketches became open topics for discussion and her audience was not in the least bit critical of her work. Her work, and her feelings, could be expressed in the way they should have been all along. Finally, she turned to her favorite page, the page where the old dance photo was attached with peeling tape.

"I look horrible in this photo," Takumi laughed.

"I look like a whore! I'm practically hanging out of that dress!" Akira snorted.

"I'm not going to deny that!" Takumi said, smirking. Akira smacked him. Struck by sudden inspiration, she rose, grabbed the dress from its hanger, and snapped the curtains shut.

"I was kidding!"

"Hold on!"

From the other side of the curtains, Takumi heard the sounds of zippers being drawn and rustling fabric, followed by much profanity and the clicking of high-heeled shoes. The curtains opened again, and Akira hobbled inside with a grumpy expression on her face. "The zipper's stuck and these shoes hurt my feet."

"Turn around," her roommate said, grinning. The ninja complied, and Takumi easily slid the zipper all the way up. "Now let me see the dress."

Akira lowered her arms and even tried to twirl, which threw her off balance. Fortunately, Takumi offered her a hand for support. "You better not sneeze or something and pull me over," she muttered bitterly.

"It fits you perfectly, though," Takumi said happily, "The straps aren't falling off, and, um, you fill it out better. And the Silly String is a nice touch."

"I'll kill you."

"You really do look good in that dress, though. I'm serious."

"I feel…girly," Akira said, shifting her shoulders uncomfortably.

"That's not always a bad thing," Takumi reassured her. "At least you're actually a girl."

"Don't push it," Akira grumbled, fighting with her left shoe. "These shoes make good weapons."

"Okay, okay," Takumi said sleepily, throwing up his hands in surrender; those heels did look sharp. He flopped onto his back. "You know, we should thank Onee-chan properly tomorrow for all of this."

"Yeah, I suppose we should," Akira agreed. She tossed the death-shoes into the corner. _And everyone else_, she thought, _but especially Mai._ As annoying as she was, she was one hell of a matchmaker. There was someone else she had to thank as well. "Oi, Takumi. Sit up."

"Hn?"

"Look at me."

Without giving the boy a chance to speak, she kissed him quickly on the lips. Gathering her skirt, she rose and went back through the curtains to change into her pajamas.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"It's not like I'm never going to kiss you again, dumbass," she called. "It's really late, I'm tired, and you're sitting in my bed. When I get out of the bathroom, you better be in your own bed. And don't try to wake me up early tomorrow or else I might have to kill you, which would suck for both of us!"

"Y-yes, Akira!" Takumi stuttered. He stumbled across the room and into his own bed. By the time Akira came out of the bathroom, he was fast asleep. Before turning in for the night as well, she paused by her roommate's bed and arranged the two pictures on his nightstand so that they were side by side. She flipped the light switch and tiptoed back towards her area in the dark, taking great care not to trip and wake the sleeping boy. As she slid into her bed, she whispered, "Merry Christmas, Takumi."

There was no mistaking the falter in the boy's snores.

**Chibi-Kagura**


End file.
